Tuesday, 20 November 2012

Excuse me for gushing on this one but earlier this month I stumbled upon some work on the creative review blog that surprised and delighted me in equal measure. It appeared that my beloved football team, Wolverhampton Wanderers, had made it to the illustrious pages of creative review through a re-brand and stadium overhaul by the Machester based creative agency, Raw.

The building of the new Stan Cullis stand begun last year and as part of this process Raw were asked by Wolves to develop a consistent brand approach as well as super-graphics and wayfinding throughout the stadium.

Generally, Wolverhampton isn't associated with the type of work that appears on creative review - There aren't many skinny jeans, fixie bikes or spectacles to be seen as you tootle around the ring road - which explains where the above mentioned surprise and delight stemmed from. Working within the design world myself, I know how difficult it is to find clients who have the creative vision and trust in a design team to create this type of project. For this I can't applaud the team at Wolves highly enough.

Equal praise also goes to the folks at Raw for perfectly executing a well designed, beautiful looking and well researched project. They got under the skin of the club and more importantly the people of Wolverhampton. This gives the work a reason, some context, and, most importantly, a soul. They then presented this using sophisticated typography, colour usage and icon design.

As well as this, the imagery plays a huge part in the project so hats off to the folks at SM2 Studio for their part. For me, the photography captures the buzz of a matchday, the tiny details that make up a football club, and the eccentricities of the people that pay their money every week.

For many (me included), this would be the dream job. You may expect a brief like this from one of the big clubs in Manchester, Liverpool, or London but the fact it was created and inspired by the people of Wolverhampton and executed by an agency in top form, makes it all the more special.

You can find more on the project at Raw's website and you can see more of the imagery by SM2 over at theirs

Wednesday, 14 November 2012

It was the wife and I's first wedding anniversary last month so, as a hobbyist print-maker, I felt it my duty to produce a letterpress print.

What to print was a fairly easy decision as 'Song of the Open Road' by Walt Whitman was our wedding reading during the ceremony.

We'd asked Amy's brother to do the reading and were happy for him to take a look at some options. One of the ones he came back with was 'Song of the Open Road' and we loved it immediately. Heart-felt without being too soppy; the reading was perfect. It's also made a perfect first wedding anniversary gift.

This was the first time I used a plate to produce a print. This meant sending off my digital design to produce a relief plate which you can think ink up and print. In letterpress terms it's cheating a bit but I simply didn't have the time to set anything other than the first word individually.

I do have a limited number of the prints so if anyone else goes for 'heartfelt but not too soppy' letterpress prints, let me know and I'll get them up in the shop. I'll also be putting some more images up on my site in the next few days.

I do not offer the old smooth prizes,
But offer rough new prizes,
These are the days that must happen to you:
You shall not heap up what is called riches,
You shall scatter with lavish hand all that you earn or achieve.
However sweet the laid-up stores,
However convenient the dwellings,
You shall not remain there.
However sheltered the port,
And however calm the waters,
You shall not anchor there.
However welcome the hospitality that welcomes you
You are permitted to receive it but a little while
Afoot and lighthearted, take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before you,
The long brown path before you,
leading wherever you choose.
Say only to one another:
Camerado, I give you my hand!
I give you my love, more precious than money,
I give you myself before preaching or law:
Will you give me yourself?
Will you come travel with me?
Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?